Loom shuttle box with electric switch loom control



1953 A. J. DUFOURD ETAL 2,625,183

LOOM SHUTTLE BOX WITH ELECTRIC SWITCH LOOM CONTROL Filed Nov. 28, 1951 if fil a w 3.9 H5

Patented Jan. 13, 1953 LOOM SHUTTLE BOX WITH ELECTRIC SWITCH LOOM CONTROL Andrew J. Dufourd, Los Angeles, Calif., and Frank A. Lovshin, Shelton, Conn., assignors to Sidney Blumenthal & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 28, 1951, Serial No. 258,612

Claims.

This invention relates to a loom shuttle box with electric switch control, and has for an object to provide a shuttle box construction, particularly designed for double shuttle looms, which embodies an electric switch so arranged as to be subject to the operation of either the upper or lower shuttle, the said switch being adapted for connection with means for stopping the electric drive of the loom in case either the upper or lower shuttle fails properly to enter its box 1 during the weaving operation of the loom.

Another object is to provide such a shuttle box construction which is adaptable to installation in double shuttle looms of standard or approved types without requiring reconstruction. Another object is to provide such a shuttle box construction which is notably simple and economical to manufacture, and which reduces the cost of operative maintenance of the loom.

Another object is to provide such a shuttle box construction which lessens the number of parts required for the desired functioning and tends towards simplicity in loom setup while adapting itself readily to adjustment.

A further object is to provide certain improvements in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts whereby the above named objects, and others inherent in the invention, may be effectively attained.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the left hand upper and lower shuttle boxes and associated parts of a double shuttle loom with the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line II'II of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with a shuttle housed in the box in contact with the picker; and

Fig. 3 represents a similar view with the shuttle just entering the box and certain parts in different positions.

It has for a long time been common practice in loom construction to incorporate means for stopping the loom in the event that a shuttle fails properly to enter its box, in order to prevent injury to the shuttle and/or yarn being woven as the result of the striking of the same by the reciprocating lay. This means has usually included one or more movable daggers carried by the lay in position to contact one or more blocks or frogs fixed to the loom frame, which contact serves to stop the loom by what is commonly referred to as a bang off. To avoid such stoppage while the loom is operating satisfactorily with the shuttles properly entering their boxes, mechanism, generally including bell cranks and rods, has been associated with one or more of the shuttle boxes, which mechanism lifts the dagger or daggers out of contact relationship with the block or frog on each forward or beatup stroke of the lay as long as the shuttles are properly entering their boxes. It will be clear that the arrangement just described necessarily involves complication in loom structure and need for additional power in operation, and also increases the probability of failure or faulty operation due to the increase in number of moving parts.

An advance over this commonly used mechanism has consisted in the provision of electrical means for stopping the loom drive motor when a shuttle fails properly to enter its box, the said means being controlled by a switch as-' sociated with each shuttle box in a position to be actuated by contact with the incoming shuttle; or being controlled by electric or magnetic impulses generated by the incoming properly.

runningshuttle. Examples of these last named arrangements are disclosed in United States Patent to Francis J. Sullivan and Arthur R. Abbott numbered 2,499,887, issued March 7, 1950, and United States Patent to Arthur R. Abbott numbered 2,556,785, issued June 12, 1951.

The present invention involves a double shuttle box with electric controlling means, such as a switch, subject to the action of either shuttle upon entering the box and adapted to stop the loom through any suitable electric, electromagnetic or electronic arrangement, by rendering the loom drive motor inefiective through interrupting the circuit thereto or disengaging the motor from the loom as, for instance, by declutching it, or by activating mechanical stopping means, or in other suitable manner.

Turning now to the drawing, the bottom of a lower left hand shuttle box, which may be com-- posed of wood or any other suitable material, is denoted by I, and the back of said box, which may also be composed of wood or other appropriate material and suitably fastened to the bottom, is marked 2. The front of the said box is indicated by 3 and may consist of a piece of angle iron set into or otherwise adequately fastened to the bottom I. The bottom of the upper box is marked 4 and is preferably composed of a piece of sheet metal supported by a tapered filler strip 5, both the said bottom and filler resting on top of the back 2 of the lower box and being clamped thereto by the back 6 of the upper box,

3 the said parts being secured in position by long screws I. The filler strip 5 is desirably composed of fibre, or the like, and its tapered or wedge shape provides for aligning or positioning the bottom 4 of the upper box in order properly to conform to thefshape of the shuttle. .The front of the upper box is marked 8. the front 3 of the lower box and may be secured to its bottom 4 in any convenient manner, such as tongue and slot, and/or brazing, and/or It is similar to screws. The top of the upper box is denotedby 9% It, like the back, may be composed of wood, and

be fastened to the said back by screws: I0,-or the like.

The double box is carried, as usual, by a lay sword H and a supporting bracket I2, the parts being fastened together by screws; |3;'.while the..

customary pitman I4 is pivoted to the sword at ii for reciprocating the latter, and the usual picker stick is traverses a slot I! in the bottom of thelower' box and-a similarslot (not shown) in'the-bottomof the-upper box; and is provided with" a pair of'pickers, thelower of which is shown andmarked- '1 3, for driving the shuttles, oneof which is shown and marked I9.

The backs of the-lower and upper boxes are formed with the usual-slots 26; 2-1, for housing theshuttle binders'or arresters 22; 23, which are pivotal-1y mounted at their right hand ends on a pin24 set in the-baolm-of the boxes. Leaf springs- 25 and 26 are fixed by screws 2-? and 28 tothe backs 'of the'lower and upper boxes'respectively, the free ends of the said springs bearing upon the binders or arresters 22, 23, so-as-nor-- mally to urge the latter toward the-front ofthe shuttle boxes;

A single pole contact switch 29 is fixed-to a hanger 30 and has a bolt'andslot engagement 3! with an'angle bracket 32' that is secured by screws 40,. and; a similar. but. downwardly extendin finger-M is. fastenedto the free end of binder or arrester 23 .byscrews 52. Theselfingers' are ar i ranged .to 'projectxinto. the path; of. movement of" spring; 34 so that, boththevsaid binders or ar resters, being urged, inwardly'of; the shuttlethoxes by-their respective springs.v 25. audit, normally. hold. the spring 3 3" out of contact with switch. plunger orbutton. 38,. as illustrated. in Fig; 3,.

which. position. of the said parts exists-atall times except when both shuttles are housed. in. their boxes,- asillustrated in the case of one shuttle in Fig.. 2. Conducting wireste i l, lead from switch 29.for connection with an electric control, or. the like, of. the loom drive, as-here inbefore. explained.

Inoperatiomwhen the shuttles are nothoused in the boxes, the binders or arresters;22, 23, are

urged inwardly by their springs,25,.26,- to the positionv represented in Fig. 3 and carry with them the switch activating springt -l dueto contact of fingers 39,- ihtherewith, so that the said.

spring 34 is movedaway from the, switch plunger or button 38 and the-latter. is permittedsto move to its outer or open switch position under the influence of the usual spring (not shown) embodied in the switch. This same position of the spring 34 and plunger or button 38 exists when either shuttle is absent from its box, because either finger 39 or M can. move sprin 34 inwardly due to the fact that each spring 25 or 2B is more powerful than spring 3 3. When, however, both shuttles enter their boxes and are housed properly therein, as shown in Fig. 2, their contact. with binders or arresters 22, 23, swings the latter outwardly from the shuttle boxes and .permitsspring 34 to contact plunger or arrester 38 and-move it to closed switch position, in which position sprin 3 3 contacts the body or casing of switch 29, thus lessening its pressure upon the plunger: orv button.38 and, consequently, upon the switch mechanism, While permitting an adequate effect upon the plunger. or button for holding the switch closed. It will thus be clear that as long asboth shuttles are being properly housed during loom operation, the switch 2Q will be closedat-the-instant of shuttle boxing and will remain closed until the shuttles are picked from the boxes;- at which latter instant the inward movement ofthe'binders or arresters will move spring 3d away from plunger or button 38' and permit the-switch 29 to open. If, however, either shuttle fails-properl'ytoenter its box, its'binder or arrester will not bemoved-outwardly and the finger 39 or 4l= carried thereby will hold spring 34 away from plunger or button 38' and leave switch-29 open. This, of course; will also be true if both shuttles should=failproperly to enter their boxes;

The'switch 29 may beconnected by its wires 43, 44, with any appropriate means for stopping the loom, ashereinabove explained, when the switch 2-9-is left open due to the failure of either shuttle to be properly boxed. As long, however, as-both shuttlesare properly boxed they will close the switchand prevent activation of the loom stopping-arrangement. As operation means for controlling thedrive of theloom motor are set forth in both of the patents numberedZgiQQBS'? and. 2,556,785, hereinabove cited; and as various other means for loom stoppage are known to those skilled in this industrial field, thereis considered to be no occasion herein further to describe. or. to illustrate the: same, but it may be notedthat such means includes an arrangement whereby the openconditi'omof the switch during the:.fiights of... the; shuttles through the. sheds from .boxto box is without. effect upon loom operation.

Itv should be. emphasized that; the presentinvention: supplies. .an: arrangement in which a single controlling switch. cooperates with either. or bothv shuttle boxes, thus. eliminating 13116113685. sity of a separate: control switch, or the like, for each box and materially simplifying and. econ? omizing the construction andoperation. Likewise, it should be noted that the arrestersor binders 22, 23, dcnot directly, contact theswitch plunger or button 38 so that,., no matter. with.

whatforce-the incoming shuttles strike the bind ers, the said force is not appliedto the. switch,

thereby avoiding the likelihood of injury to the latter. The maximum force that can be applied fixed at a minimum-consonant with reliable-ac tuation. Furthermore, "as previously mentioned,

the. said spring. contacts the casing, of the switch after it has.- forced. the. plunger" or buttoninto-- closed position so as to lessen the actual spring pressure on the plunger or button.

It will be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the form, construction, arrangement and material of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and hence we do not intend to be limited to details herein shown or described except as the same may be included in the claims or be required by disclosures of the prior art.

What we claim is:

l. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, and means operable by either binder for governing the said switch.

2. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator, and means operable by either binder for governing the switch activator.

3. A shuttle box construction for double shut tle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator, and means carried by both binders for governing the switch activator.

4. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator biased to move outwardly of the boxes, and means carried by both binders for limiting the outward movement of the switch activator and preventing activation of the switch when a shuttle fails properly to enter either box.

5. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator biased to move outwardly of the boxes, and mean carried by both binders for limiting the outward movement of the switch activator and preventing activation of the switch when a shuttle fails properly to enter either box, the bias of each binder being more powerful than the bias of the switch activator.

6. A shuttle box construction for double shut tle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a spring biased to move outwardly of the boxes to actuate the switch, and means project 'ing upwardly from the lower binder and downwardly from the upper binder for limiting the outward movement of the said spring and preventing actuation of the switch when a shuttle fails properly to enter either box.

7. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator biased to move outwardly of the boxes positioned at a level intermediate the binders, and elements projecting upwardly from the lower binder and downwardly from the upper binder into the path of movement of the switch activator for limiting its outward movement and preventing activation of the switch when a shuttle fails properly to enter either box.

8. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder pivotally mounted near one end of each box, a spring bearing upon each binder to bias it to move inwardly of its box into the shuttle path, a loom control switch carried by the boxes adjacent the free ends of the binders, a switch activating spring mounted near the end of the boxes opposite the pivot of the binders and having its free end positioned and biased to move outwardly into contact with the switch, said switch activating spring being positioned at a level intermediate the binders, and overlapping elements projecting upwardly from the lower binder and downwardly from the upper binder into the path of movement of said switch activating spring for preventing'the latter from contacting the switch when either binder is moved inwardly of its box by its spring, each binder spring having a more powerful bias than the bias of the switch activating spring.

9. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator biased to move outwardly of the boxes, means carried by both binders for limiting the, outward movement of the switch activator and preventing activation of the switch when a shuttle fails properly to enter either box, and means for limiting the pressure of the switch activator upon the switch.

10. A shuttle box construction for double shuttle looms comprising, upper and lower shuttle boxes, a movable shuttle binder for each box biased to move inwardly thereof into the shuttle path, a loom control switch associated with the boxes, a switch activator biased to move outwardly of the boxes, means carried by both binders for limiting the outward movement of the switch activator and preventing activation of the switch when a shuttle fails properly to enter either box, said switch comprising a casing and a plunger and the parts being so constructed and arranged that the switch activator contacts the switch casing after it has moved the plunger into switch closing position.

ANDREW J. DUFOURD. FRANK A. LOVSHIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,499,887 Sullivan et al. Mar. '7, 1950 2,556,785 Abbott June 12, 1951 2,600,667 Mason June 17, 1952 

